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Smooth Air breezes in Ohio Derby Mount Joy Stable's homebred SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) blew past Cherokee Artist (Cherokee Run) in early stretch and streaked home an impressive four-length winner of the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) at Thistledown on Saturday. Trained by Bennie Stutts Jr., the bay colt broke on cue and was well positioned in third early beneath Manoel Cruz, angled toward the outside nearing the final turn and left little doubt in the lane, reaching the wire in 1:50 1/5 for the nine-furlong feature. The 9-5 second choice paid $5.80, $3.40 and $2.40 while keying the $27.80 exacta, $53.80 trifecta and $179.60 superfecta (1-8-7-2). Cherokee Artist, who had just broken his maiden earlier in the month, tracked in second early and stayed on well late to secure the place by 2 1/2 lengths. The nearly 3-1 third choice was worth $3.40 and $2.40. Z Fortune (Siphon [Brz]), the 3-2 favorite, was in good striking range throughout but could not reel in the top pair late, paying $2.10 in the process. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Medjool (Monarchos) at 13-1, who was followed by Your Round (Distorted Humor), Instill (Proud Citizen), Celtic Meal (Formal Dinner) and Stolen Chevy (Flying Chevron). Smooth Air improved his lifetime line to 9-4-2-2, $575,500. The bay colt began his career with a three-length maiden win and followed his debut score up with a pair of stakes placings in the Jack Price Juvenile S. and Dr. Fager S. After dominating an allowance field in his juvenile finale, the Florida-bred captured the Hutcheson S. (G2) at Gulfstream in his three-year-old bow. A third in the Sam F. Davis S. followed, and the sophomore was a clear second in the Florida Derby (G1) behind dual classic victor Big Brown (Boundary) prior to his 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) most recently. The winner is out of the winning French Deputy mare Air France, and has an unraced two-year-old half-sister named Turbulent Affair (Montbrook) and an unnamed yearling half-sister by Five Star Day.
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